Smooth-bore gun



C. HOLTZHAUER. SMOOTH BORE GUN. APPLICATION map JULY 11. 1918 1,309,202. Patented July 8,1919.

INVENTUR (Janie: flajlizl uer ATTU R N U :rrnn STATES PATENT curios.

ciimnnnsnonrznnusn. or rams, FRANCE, AssIeNoa TO LA SOCIETE nnoonsraucw I .m-ionnss BATIGNOLLES, or PARIS, FRANCE.

' a citizen of the Republic of France, and

' SMOOTH-BORE GUN.

To all whom it may concern:

"Beatiqmwn that I, CHARLEs HOLTZHAUER,"

resident of Paris, France, (post-oflice address 7 Rue Balagny, Paris,) have invented a new and useful Improvement in Smooth- .Bore Guns, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to smooth-bore guns of the muzzle loading type, that is to sayof the type in which the projectile alone or both the projectile and the powder charge are loaded into the gun from the muzzle, the

.merous types of in which a cham er invention having particular reference to such guns known as trench mortars. Nu-

ns have been constructed is formed between the explosion or powder charge chamber and the base of the projectile for the expansion of the gases resulting from the explosion of the powder charge.

According to the present invention the T smooth-bore muzzle loading gun consists of a thick-walled rear part, constituting the explosion chamber, situated in line with and forming part of a thin-walled barrel which is of larger bore than the explosion cham- -ber and which is adapted to receive a thin- .walled projectile having a tail piece which bears against an abutment formed in the gun. In this way there is provided in the rearv part of the barrel between the explosion chamber and the base of the projectile a space constituting an expansion chamber having a volume which is predetermined by the length of the tail piece and are of the which is maintained constant with each projectile fired (assuming that the tail pieces same length and the bases of the projectiles are similarly shaped) by loading each projectile into the barrel from the muzzle until the tail piece bears against the aforesaid abutment.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect it will be fully described wlth reference to the accompanying drawings, in

I which A-A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but

constituting the explosion chamber,

Patented July 8, 1919.

showing a cylindrical tail piece carried by l. The rear part or thick-walled breech end a which is formed with an explosion chamber 0 for the propelling charge. The capacity of this chamber is so determined as to insure a good defiagration of the charge and the thickness of its Walls is such that they will Withstand the high pressures obtamed by the use of modern smokeless powder. The trunnions may form part of the said breech end.

2. The forward'part or thin-walled barrel I) connected to or made integral with the breech end.

The projectile comprises a thin casing e of part-spherical form at the forward end and tapering at the rear, and a cruciform tail piece f or a cylindrical tail piece 9 (Fig. 3) welded to the rear part. The dimensions of this tail piece permit of the introduction of the projectile into the barrel from the muzzle, the rear end of the tail piece bearing against a suitable shoulder as shown by Fig. 1. There is thus formed between the explosion chamber and the base of the projectile a chamber d having a length equal to that of the tail piece and in which the powder gases are confined and expand freely in order to reduce the pressure until the value of the latter is compatible with the thickness of the walls of the gun barrel and of the projectile, thus forming what may be termed a low or reduced pressure gun. At the forward end of the projectile, is located the percussion cap or other device for effecting the detonation of the bursting charge of the projectile.

' What. I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is A smooth-bore gun of the muzzle-loading comprising a thick-walled rear part a thinwalled barrel of larger bore than the bore of the explosion chamber disposed co-axially with the said rear part, and an abutment for-med in the gun at the junction of the rear part and the barrel consequent upon the difi'erence between the diameters of said bores; in combination with a projectile adapted to be received in said barrel and having a rearwardly extending tailpiece which bears at its free end against the abutment whereby! the movement "of the projectile inwardly'of the barrel is limited said explosion chamber When the projectile is in place in the barrel an expansion chainber of predetermined volume and of'the' same diameter as the bore of the r barrel wherein the powder gases freely expand and of the explosion so as to form in the rear part of areflconfined until the pressure within the barrel is reduced'to the oint Wherefit' is compatible with thethic ess of the Wall '"ofsaid barrel; 's'li bstantially'as described 15 lntestirnony-whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. v

' CHARLES HOLTZHAUER.

Witnesses: v v I 7 JOHN MO Gnomes L0IsEL.

Gepies of this patent Inay be obtained for five cents each, by-addressingfhe Commissioner oflr atciitsi Washington, D. 0.? V 

